The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the service-connected lumbar spine DDD, status postoperative, is dismissed.,The Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to July 9, 2019 and in excess of 20 percent from July 9, 2019 for lumbar spine DDD are both denied.
The deciding factor: The claim for an earlier effective date is dismissed as a matter of law because the Veteran's disagreement does not meet legal requirements.,The evidence does not show that the Veteran’s lumbar spine disability warrants a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to July 9, 2019 or in excess of 20 percent from July 9, 2019.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine DDD (degenerative disc disease)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- April 16, 2020
- Citation
- 20026373
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 20026373.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, lumbar spine DDD, tinnitus, eczema, and left-hand arthritis, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since June 29, 2021.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability and a need for a new VA examination for PTSD. The issues of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbar spine IVDS and DDD, and entitlement to a higher rating for PTSD are pending.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
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